U.S., Venezuela Finalize Major Prisoner Exchange
(MENAFN) A landmark prisoner swap between the US and Venezuela was finalized on Friday, securing the release of 10 American citizens in exchange for more than 200 Venezuelans held in an El Salvador prison. The deal, which saw the return of approximately 250 Venezuelans transferred by the Trump administration to the high-security facility in El Salvador, was hailed by both sides as a victory.
According to media, the Americans freed were classified by the US as "wrongfully detained" by Venezuela, although no details were immediately provided on the specifics of their imprisonment.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed gratitude for the release, calling it a direct result of President Donald Trump’s “leadership and commitment to the American people.” Rubio slammed the Venezuelan government, calling the arrests of US nationals “highly questionable” and accusing Venezuelan authorities of violating due process.
“It is unacceptable that Venezuelan regime representatives arrested and jailed U.S. nationals under highly questionable circumstances and without proper due process," Rubio stated. “Every wrongfully detained American in Venezuela is now free and back in our homeland.”
In addition to the American release, Rubio acknowledged the return of Venezuelan detainees he described as "political prisoners." He also thanked El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele for his pivotal role in facilitating the operation.
President Bukele took to social media to confirm that all Venezuelans held in El Salvador—many believed to be associated with the criminal group Tren de Aragua—had been handed back to Venezuelan authorities.
He stated that the swap was carried out in exchange for the release of both the American detainees and Venezuelan "political prisoners."
"These individuals are currently on their way to El Salvador, where they will briefly stop before continuing their journey back home," Bukele further explained.
While the US and Venezuela have confirmed the swap, no immediate statement has been made by Venezuelan officials regarding the transaction.
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the
information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept
any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images,
videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information
contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright
issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
